"If he wants to be in then get higher up in the rankings": Nathan Aspinall befuddled by Mike de Decker Premier League comments
PDC
Mike de Decker courted headlines on Wednesday when the Belgian sensed his fury at not being included in the line-up for the 2025 Premier League Darts. He also named Nathan Aspinall as a player undeserving of a spot to which 'The Asp' has now responded.
Asked about it by Metro, he was left somewhat befuddled and bemused about the comments simply stating that if he wants that spot, he needs to get higher in the rankings citing that in his view he is not high enough to deserve a spot himself.
‘Is that what he’s said?’ Aspinall quipped when asked by Metro. ‘I haven’t seen it because I’ve come off social media, I still have my accounts there but I’m not on it because the abuse was getting ridiculous.
‘I’m disappointed he’s said that because I get on with Mike, but if he wants to be in then get higher up the rankings.
‘He can count himself unlucky because he’s won a big major, but he’s ranked 24 in the world and went out early in the Worlds.
‘There were a lot of people in contention but no one really stood out. I thought I was 50-50 to get in. I’m buzzing to be the one to get the call and looking forward to get going.’
‘It was a nice run, the draw opened up for me, but I took advantage of that,’ he said on his World Championship exploits and also the criticism surrounding his run. ‘I felt I got better each round and put in a half decent performance against Luke, but I don’t think anyone would have lived with him.
‘People seemed to be slating me throughout saying I was playing rubbish. Yeah people were playing pretty badly against me but that’s not my fault. Averaging 94 when the person you’re playing is averaging 77 is hard!’
He also responded to criticism he got surrounding being too friendly with players with fist bumps to Luke Littler being a main part of their game which some construed as him giving Littler too much respect.
"Of all the criticism I’ve got that’s the one I can understand," he said. ‘There are a group of players on tour: Michael Smith, Chris Dobey, Jonny Clayton, Joe Cullen, if someone takes a shot out we fist bump, we are mates.
‘But I have thought, is it all a bit too friendly? You’re always learning in this game. Maybe I wasn’t quite as focussed as I should have been in the quarter-finals of the World Championship. Next time I play him, or Dobey or any of them, I’m going to be thinking about myself more.
‘I think people are craving rivalries, especially now Gezzy [Price] isn’t so much of the pantomime villain, they want some more of it. It’s difficult because you are fighting when you’re playing but we’re with each other 24/7 and we are mates, it’s hard to switch between the two, not many people can do it.’
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